I hope not, I'm buying a new TV today, and I think that'd be a bad omen.Nice show of defensive skill and awareness there by Ubaldo and a nice double play to end the inning. But, this is just another one of those Ubaldo starts where I'm shaking my head wondering how we're not down by about 10 runs.

Tom Hamilton is turning into Marty Brennaman and I don't like it. It's a recent thing over the last two years, too. He's supposed to be my eyes in the ballpark, not an old cranky man predicting bad things are about to happen. And I don't care how poorly they've played, never WHINE into a microphone and sarcastically give the score in the tone of Bill Murray doing his Groundhog Day broadcast for the 1,000th day in a row.

Dellucci TailGator wrote:Tom Hamilton is turning into Marty Brennaman and I don't like it. It's a recent thing over the last two years, too. He's supposed to be my eyes in the ballpark, not an old cranky man predicting bad things are about to happen. And I don't care how poorly they've played, never WHINE into a microphone and sarcastically give the score in the tone of Bill Murray doing his Groundhog Day broadcast for the 1,000th day in a row.

A couple of times a year I see something I've never seen before in a major league baseball game. Today it was a pitcher fielding a bunt on a squeeze play and tagging the runner out himself. I'm not saying it never happened, I'm just saying in the thousands of games I've seen it's never happened. I've never even seen a pitcher try it before. If they try to get the runner they scoop the ball to the catcher to make the tag. Just when you think you've seen everything.

Anyway, Ubaldo totally screwed himself as the announcers pointed out. He's rolling right along with two out and nobody on in the 6th inning with only one run allowed. So he decides to get cute and try throwing a couple of pitches sidearm. He hits the #7 hittter with a sidearm pitch. If it ain't broke, why fix it, Ubaldo?

No problem, two out, runner on first and the #8 hitter up. It's Molina, with a batting average under .200 and he hits right-handed. Last time up Ubaldo threw him a breaking ball away on the first pitch and Molina blooped a single over the infield. So this time, Ubaldo wisely changes his approach and throws him another breaking ball away on the first pitch, and of course Molina bloops another hit over the infield. WTF, Ubaldo? He's hitting .190, hammer him with fastballs.

OK, the situation is ridiculous but still under control because the #9 hitter is up. Worst hitter on the 9th worst hitting team in the league. So Ubaldo walks him throwing almost all breaking balls, including ball four. For some reason he was afraid to challenge the #9 hitter with his fastball, even though Upton was on deck, and he's been hammering Tribe pitching.

So Upton comes up and rips a double into the left field corner and that ends any hopes of winning late by scratching a couple of runs together against the Rays bullpen.

The Tribe would have lost anyway, but if Ubaldo doesn't start screwing around with sidearm pitches and sticks with what's working, he goes 6 innings with 1 run allowed and comes out to pitch the 7th with a chance to put a very good start under his belt.

Prosecutor wrote:A couple of times a year I see something I've never seen before in a major league baseball game. Today it was a pitcher fielding a bunt on a squeeze play and tagging the runner out himself. I'm not saying it never happened, I'm just saying in the thousands of games I've seen it's never happened. I've never even seen a pitcher try it before. If they try to get the runner they scoop the ball to the catcher to make the tag. Just when you think you've seen everything.

Anyway, Ubaldo totally screwed himself as the announcers pointed out. He's rolling right along with two out and nobody on in the 6th inning with only one run allowed. So he decides to get cute and try throwing a couple of pitches sidearm. He hits the #7 hittter with a sidearm pitch. If it ain't broke, why fix it, Ubaldo?

No problem, two out, runner on first and the #8 hitter up. It's Molina, with a batting average under .200 and he hits right-handed. Last time up Ubaldo threw him a breaking ball away on the first pitch and Molina blooped a single over the infield. So this time, Ubaldo wisely changes his approach and throws him another breaking ball away on the first pitch, and of course Molina bloops another hit over the infield. WTF, Ubaldo? He's hitting .190, hammer him with fastballs.

OK, the situation is ridiculous but still under control because the #9 hitter is up. Worst hitter on the 9th worst hitting team in the league. So Ubaldo walks him throwing almost all breaking balls, including ball four. For some reason he was afraid to challenge the #9 hitter with his fastball, even though Upton was on deck, and he's been hammering Tribe pitching.

So Upton comes up and rips a double into the left field corner and that ends any hopes of winning late by scratching a couple of runs together against the Rays bullpen.

The Tribe would have lost anyway, but if Ubaldo doesn't start screwing around with sidearm pitches and sticks with what's working, he goes 6 innings with 1 run allowed and comes out to pitch the 7th with a chance to put a very good start under his belt.

Bet he doesn't do that again.

No need for a novel.

You just described the difference between good pitchers and bad.

I'll do it in a line or two;

Good pitchers get the guys out they should.

Bad pitchers don't.

I don't really give a shit about two week stretches - especially in regard to starting pitchers. The guys been wire to wire at a 5 ERA or worse. And it's even worse news if you watch him pitch and know anything about the game.

Prosecutor wrote:A couple of times a year I see something I've never seen before in a major league baseball game. Today it was a pitcher fielding a bunt on a squeeze play and tagging the runner out himself. I'm not saying it never happened, I'm just saying in the thousands of games I've seen it's never happened. I've never even seen a pitcher try it before. If they try to get the runner they scoop the ball to the catcher to make the tag. Just when you think you've seen everything.

Anyway, Ubaldo totally screwed himself as the announcers pointed out. He's rolling right along with two out and nobody on in the 6th inning with only one run allowed. So he decides to get cute and try throwing a couple of pitches sidearm. He hits the #7 hittter with a sidearm pitch. If it ain't broke, why fix it, Ubaldo?

No problem, two out, runner on first and the #8 hitter up. It's Molina, with a batting average under .200 and he hits right-handed. Last time up Ubaldo threw him a breaking ball away on the first pitch and Molina blooped a single over the infield. So this time, Ubaldo wisely changes his approach and throws him another breaking ball away on the first pitch, and of course Molina bloops another hit over the infield. WTF, Ubaldo? He's hitting .190, hammer him with fastballs.

OK, the situation is ridiculous but still under control because the #9 hitter is up. Worst hitter on the 9th worst hitting team in the league. So Ubaldo walks him throwing almost all breaking balls, including ball four. For some reason he was afraid to challenge the #9 hitter with his fastball, even though Upton was on deck, and he's been hammering Tribe pitching.

So Upton comes up and rips a double into the left field corner and that ends any hopes of winning late by scratching a couple of runs together against the Rays bullpen.

The Tribe would have lost anyway, but if Ubaldo doesn't start screwing around with sidearm pitches and sticks with what's working, he goes 6 innings with 1 run allowed and comes out to pitch the 7th with a chance to put a very good start under his belt.

Bet he doesn't do that again.

No need for a novel.

You just described the difference between good pitchers and bad.

I'll do it in a line or two;

Good pitchers get the guys out they should.

Bad pitchers don't.

I don't really give a shit about two week stretches - especially in regard to starting pitchers. The guys been wire to wire at a 5 ERA or worse. And it's even worse news if you watch him pitch and know anything about the game.

B-L-O-W-S.

I'm pretty sure he's coming around.

If he can just eliminate some of those 4 and 5 run blow-ups he'll be okay.

Many of the game's top pitchers pitch like shit for two months, have a good month, and then pitch like shit again.

Give him time.

I'd bet he dominates against some of the Twins Triple A guys in September when the Tribe is 13 games out.